Friday, May 7, 2010Document: Runaway said she was 19
ESPN.com news services

NEW YORK -- The man who authorities say set up Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor with a runaway for sex told the woman to tell Taylor she was 19 years old and not 16, according to a court statement taken from an FBI special agent.

The special agent filed the statement as part of the case against Rasheed Davis, who was charged with sex trafficking of a child in a federal complaint filed Friday in Manhattan federal court.

Davis was to appear in federal court later Friday on a charge of sex trafficking of a minor. If convicted, he faces at least 15 years in prison and could face a life sentence.

In the complaint, authorities claim the 51-year-old Taylor, referred to as "Client-1" in the document, told police following his arrest Thursday that he had taken a car service from Newark International Airport to a hotel north of New York City to meet "Victim-1."

Taylor told police officers in Ramapo, N.Y., that he admitted paying $300 in cash for sex with the 16-year-old runaway Wednesday.

The girl, who was reported missing by her family in March, met Davis at a Bronx bus stop two to three weeks ago. The federal complaint says she told investigators that the 36-year-old parolee offered her a place to live and a way to make money.

She said that Davis gave her Ecstasy and marijuana before causing her "to engage in multiple commercial sex acts" for prices ranging from $80 to $150. He advertised her services by sending cell phone photos of her and posting ads on websites, the complaint says.

On Wednesday, Davis sent the girl a text message in which he said he wanted her to have sex with "Client-1" for $300, the complaint says. When she refused, Davis assaulted her, drove her to the hotel against her will and waited outside while she had sex with Taylor, it says.

Late Wednesday and early Thursday, the girl sent text messages to her uncle saying she was in trouble. The uncle called police, who arrested Davis once he returned to the Bronx with the teenager.

Police believe Taylor used a middleman to arrange the liaison, but said Friday they hadn't identified that person.

Davis was sentenced in April 1994 to eight to 25 years in prison for first-degree manslaughter. He was paroled in March 2008.

Taylor, the former star player for the New York Giants, was charged Thursday with third-degree rape and patronizing a prostitute. His lawyer, Arthur Aidala, has denied the charges, saying Taylor did not have sex with the girl and did not rape her.

Ramapo Chief of Police Peter Brower would not comment on whether Taylor knew the girl's age; third-degree rape is a charge levied when the victim is under the age of consent, which is 17 in New York.

Taylor was released on $75,000 bail and is due back in court on June 10.

Taylor anchored the Giants' defense and led them to Super Bowls titles in 1987 and 1991. He was selected to the NFL's 75th Anniversary All-Time Team.

A 10-time Pro Bowler, he was the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1986 and the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1981, 1982 and 1986.

The weight-loss company NutriSystem Inc. said Friday it had dropped Taylor as a spokesman because of his arrest.